I’m the Madyute from Renaissance disco.

Ras Sparrow, born Eloy Carrero in Caracas, Venezuela and raised in Miami, is a reggae and dub musician, singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Known for his spiritually charged lyrics, analog-rich dub soundscapes, and global grassroots presence, Ras Sparrow has carved out a distinct place in the international reggae scene—guided by Rastafari and powered by self-reliance and artistic vision.

From early on, Ras immersed himself in music, recording on a 4-track tape deck and learning guitar, bass, drums, keys, and percussion by ear. Though he grew up surrounded by blues, psychedelic rock, Latin, and hip-hop, it was reggae that claimed his heart in his early twenties—ushered in by what he describes as a spiritual awakening.

"I didn’t choose reggae music—reggae music chose me. It was given to me as a guiding light during a time of confusion. The uplifting message, the prophetic words, the rhythm… it became medicine for my soul."

With this conviction, Ras Sparrow committed to using his music as a force for healing, upliftment, and peaceful resistance. His unique sound blends deep roots reggae and dub traditions with his diverse musical upbringing, resulting in a style that feels both classic and timeless.

Now based in Santiago de Chile, Ras continues to produce from his home studio under his independent label, Ras Sparrow Records. Alongside his wife and musical partner La Makeda, the duo has toured internationally—most notably two highly successful tours of Brazil in 2015. Since then, Ras has assembled a full band featuring top musicians to deliver his signature sound live.

Ras Sparrow Live Dub Mixing

In recent years, Ras Sparrow has expanded his artistry into Live Dub Mixing, a performance style that brings the studio to the stage. Using a blend of analog-style effects, hands-on controllers, real-time automation, and his signature sonic textures, Ras transforms each show into a unique, spontaneous, and deeply immersive dub experience.

Unlike a traditional concert, his Live Dub sets present Ras not only as a musician but as a sound sculptor—deconstructing and rebuilding his tracks on the spot with delays, filters, reverbs, dropouts, bass transformations, sirens, and rhythmic reshaping. Each performance becomes an improvised journey through roots, steppers, and heavyweight dub, driven by instinct, spirituality, and pure energy.

This new format has quickly become a defining element of his artistic identity, captivating audiences from Argentina to Chile and resonating strongly with the global dub community. Ras Sparrow’s Live Dub sets bridge old-school King Tubby–style spontaneity with modern digital precision, showcasing his evolution as a producer and performer.

His catalog spans pioneering DIY efforts and genre-pushing releases:

Sovereign People (2007), recorded entirely off-grid in Hawai’i using solar power

12 in Digital Dub Mixes (2013), produced using just a smartphone in Caracas

Dub in Stone (2022), a tribute to dub recorded in analog/digital hybrid format in Santiago

Ras Sparrow is also the creator of the international reggae anthem "Zion Town", released in 2010 as part of the short-lived duo Ras & Queen Sparrow—garnering over 30 million views on YouTube alone. In 2024, he went viral again with the one-take Live Looper version of "Seek Jah First", reaching a new generation of reggae lovers across platforms.

Over the years, he has shared the stage with reggae legends including Israel Vibration, Alpha Blondy, Midnite, Groundation, Kymani Marley, Anthony B, Winston Jarrett, Dezarie, Don Carlos, and The Wailers, among others.

Ras Sparrow continues his mission to spread conscious music worldwide—carrying the torch of roots reggae and dub with purpose, passion, and deep spiritual conviction, now both through his traditional performances and through the powerful new dimension of Live Dub Mixing.

From “Heads High” (1998) to the newest “My Jam” (2015), Mr. Vegas has assembled an unshakable string of international classic reggae and dancehall releases including Billboard hits highlighting his career progression for the last two decades.

Born Clifford Smith in Jamaica’s capital city, Kingston. Mr. Vegas developed a passion for music at an early age. It was customary for aspiring high school age singers to gather during lunch break to test new lyrics and share their talents with classmates. Smith’s passion developed during these sessions when he noted female classmates would regularly attend without demonstrating any interest in lunch.
 
His first hit, “Nike Air” (1997), only came about because Mr. Vegas successfully demanded that doctors removed the wiring in his jaw after a serious injury. Despite nursing the injured jaw, ” Nike Air” raced to the top of the charts. Mr. Vegas follow up smash hit on the Filthy Riddim, “Heads High”, took the world by storm. Led by its undeniable hook over the creeping bass line, “Heads High” reached #1 on the reggae charts in five continents and #69 on the US R&B Chart. The same year, Mr. Vegas won a distinguished MOBO (Music Of Black Origin) Award in the UK.

Throughout the years, Mr. Vegas has proved adept at catchy hooks, knowing just the right beats that will hit at the right time coupled with signature song writing. ‘Tek Wey Yuhself’, ‘Hot Wuk’ and ‘Nuh Friend From Dem’, from his 2007 album Hot It Up, are a case in point. All were chart toppers in Jamaica and dominated the major American, Japanese and European charts. In 2010 Mr. Vegas was nominated for Soul Train ‘Reggae Artist of the Year‘ and performed at the Soulfusion Soul Train Awards in early 2011. “I want to be around in twenty years,” says Vegas, “and ‘Sweet Jamaica’ is the best way I can think of to put my stamp on the future, one in which real foundation reggae and dancehall both play a part, just like real life”.
 
By year-end 2012, Sweet Jamaica and Mr. Vegas made great strides including a MOBO 2012 Award nomination in the UK. Sweet Jamaica was named by Google Music as ‘Top 50 albums of 2012‘, endorsed by Complex Magazine in the ‘Top 100 Albums of 2012‘ as well as on the ‘Best of 2012‘ in the reggae section of iTunes. Leading the way into 2013 with solid rotations on mainstream radio throughout the US and a remix package penetrating the dance market. The versatile and accomplished Mr. Vegas added yet another achievement to his portfolio with multiple nominations at the 32nd IRAWMA awards on May 6, 2013. On that day he copped the title Song of the Year with “Sweet Jamaica” and Video of the Year with “Bruk it Down“. Standing on the Sun with Beyoncé was release on Beyoncé’s Platinum Edition Album in December 2013.
 
In addition to his many collaborations, during his journey as an artiste Mr. Vegas has opened for Deborah Cox, Foxy Brown, and Black Eyed Peas. He has also shared the stage with Brandy, Method Man Redman, T-Pain, Future, Trey Songz, Nicki Minaj, Pitbull and has done production work with industry producer Major Lazer. Mr. Vegas has appeared on all of the industry’s major shows, in Jamaica and abroad, including Guinness Sting, Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest, Reggae Sunsplash, Tobago Jazz Festival, Best of the Best in Miami, Uppsala Reggae Fest, Summerjam Germany, Rototom Sunsplash, Amsterdam Reggae Festival, SXSW and more. Mr. Vegas continues to tour extensively throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean Islands and North and South America.

DJ REALITY (THE MAD ONE) 
(NYC/FL) 
DANCE MASTERS INTL

RAS JOSEPH AKA DI RAS FOR BOOKINGS 
DIRASMUSIC@GMAIL.COM



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